Is Hartford Just A Big Bore?

Survey Touches On Yawning Vista Of Discontent With City

Survey Finds Yawning Vista Of Discontent

Is Hartford boring? Yes, said an overwhelming number of Courant readers who responded to a write-in survey, many of them with an outpouring of vitriol aimed at the capital city.

"Hartford has no identity. It is a pimple on the left cheek of New York and a pimple on the right cheek of Boston," wrote Tom Gibb of Avon.

Like Gibb, many of those who responded said the best thing to do in Hartford is to get out.

"My favorite thing to do in Hartford is leave and go to Boston," wrote Alex Filatov, who lives in Windsor and works in Bloomfield.

Of 225 readers who responded to the unscientific survey, almost two-thirds agreed with casino mogul Steve Wynn that Hartford is boring. Apparently unimpressed by the city's museums, parks and theaters, some said they would rather stay home and watch television.

Thirty-five disagreed, saying there's plenty to enjoy in Hartford. One reader praised the mashed potatoes at the Marble Pillar. Others praised the city's museums and parks. But some were saddened by the city's decline.

"Hartford is not boring -- it is just disappointing," wrote Charlotte Granville-Haberern of Manchester. "There is much to praise and much to enjoy, but the delight of downtown Hartford has lost its magic." The remaining 50 respondents either did not understand the question or used the clip-out coupon to share their opinions on casinos and other topics.

Many of those who said Hartford is boring seemed embittered, calling the city an embarrassment or somewhere to drive through on the way to Westfarms mall.

Not only is the city boring, it is dirty, expensive and dangerous, too, some readers wrote.

"Hartford is totally characterless and lacking life," said Betty Hobbs of Granby. "Also it is one of the most littered and dirty cities I have seen."

Others called the city "stupefyingly boring," "ugly," "a fake

city" or "lackluster."

The respondents included a class at Hartford's Weaver High School, where 22 students in teacher Tom Smith's English class think their city is boring because it doesn't have movie theaters, a skating rink or teen hangouts. Four said the city isn't boring, and another four were unsure.

Wynn, the Las Vegas casino owner who wants to build a casino/convention center in Hartford if the state allows it, proclaimed the city boring during a visit a month ago. "I have been spending time in Hartford these last several months, and, unfortunately, it's boring" Wynn said at a legislative hearing.

One reader who disagreed had a suggestion for Wynn.

"Try Marble Pillar mashed potatoes. You might change your mind," wrote Mark Mitchell, owner of a car dealership in Simsbury. The downtown restaurant, which dates to 1860, is a Hartford classic, Mitchell said: "It's one of the few places that has a lunch you can get a beer with."

If Marble Pillar mashed potatoes are heaven, it's paradise in a box.

"Oh no! They're instant!" said waitress Julie Gassett, when told that the restaurant's mashed potatoes were named one of the best things about Hartford.

John Luchs, who bought the restaurant in 1989, said the secret is in the gravy. "We call it magic gravy," he said.

Others who said Hartford is not boring said they appreciate the Wadsworth Atheneum, Bushnell Park, First Night, the thriving arts scene or the city's restaurants.

"It's just a quiet city. It doesn't engulf you the way Manhattan does," wrote graphic artist Richard Welling, who lives on Union Place.

Others suggested that only boring people are bored by Hartford.

"Boredom is self-inflicted!" wrote one woman.

Ada Woshinsky, 85, of Bristol wrote that visiting Hartford was always exciting. "The gold top [of the state Capitol] gleaming in the sun and the park all around it was a thrill. Sometimes we walked into the Capitol and looked and looked. We did think it would be wonderful to live in such an exciting city as Hartford," she wrote. "I never was able to live in Hartford but was lucky enough to get a job in Hartford so I could see the city as I walked around on my lunch hour."

Those who can't find excitement in Hartford today said the city lacks movie theaters, dance clubs for older adults, good shopping, jazz clubs and attractions for children.

Several said Hartford needs a place for people to gather, similar to Boston's Quincy Market or Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Asked to talk about their favorite things to do in Hartford, many readers responded with sarcasm.

"Turning on the Christmas lights and that takes about one second," said Brad Genzano of South Windsor.

"Compare the lending rate at different local banks and try to guess next week's rate, [or] visualize next retail store that will close," wrote one man. Not everyone who thought the city is boring was angry about it.

"Sadly, Hartford is a boring city," wrote John D. Crowley. "I've lived here all my life and I've seen such potential, yet somehow Hartford never seems to get beyond the small-town mentality. I love Hartford and would like to see it become what its